COAL MINES COMMISSION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 26 March 1901, Page 3

COAL MINES COMMISSION.

Greymouth Evidence Contradicted

(per PRESS ASSOCIATION)

Dunedin, March 25

Tho Coal Mines Commission hold its sitting in Dunedin to-day. Mr George Jochim, general manager of the Westport Coal Company, gave evidence. Dealing with tho capital he said than 10s per share had been paid off for losses. There were debentures equal to £65,000 owing and other liabilities equal to £40,000. The dividends paid from 1882 were equal to per cent. The present output could be maintained for tho present generation, from 20 to 25 years. Tho company had recently spent £II,OOO in crossing tho fault at Granity. Last year the average price for the whole output f.o.b. at Westport was 10s lOd per ton. Only about 20 per cent of tho whole output was fit for screened coat, so that out of every five tons one ton only could be sold as screened. The price of 22s 6d in Wellington was for screened and to get that tho whole output had to be taken into account. They could only got 20 per cent for screened, the rest was sold at a reduced rate. There was no preference in the matter of sale. It was absolutely incorrect to say that the Company had closed the Wallscnd mine to profit Westport. It was closed because the quality was inferior to Brunner and the coal was cut off by faults on all sides. They found that the demand could be supplied from Brunner and they closed Ihe Wallsend over which they lost, £B,OOO. Mr W. P. Watson, general manager of the Coal and Oil Company, said they hoped to be in a position to supply 2,000 gallons of oil from the Orcpuki shale works by the end of April and crude oil very shortly. The Company had applied for an extension of time for the Government bonus, but had got no reply yet. There wore 130 hands employed at Orcpuk;, and 300 at Kaitangata.